🦩Separation, Stigma and Starting Again

What happens when the life you thought you were going to have doesn’t turn out the way you imagined? We’re often sold the fairytale of two parents, a child and a happy family life. But what happens when a long-term relationship or marriage ends – and suddenly you find yourself having to write a completely different story? In this episode, I’m joined by Orla Donoghue, who became a single parent after her relationship ended during the Covid lockdown. She found herself grieving not just the relationship, but the whole life she had imagined for herself and her son. We talk about the shock of separation, the loneliness that can come with starting again, the stigma and sense of failure that can creep in, and what it feels like to suddenly have to share your child between two homes. Orla is incredibly honest about those early days – feeling as though the script had been ripped up and she had no idea what the next line was. But she also talks about finding her way through it, asking for help and eventually turning her own experience into a new career supporting other single parents through Solas Coaching. This is a conversation about separation, motherhood, grief, starting again and finding your way when life looks nothing like the picture you had planned. And, ultimately, about discovering that a different life can still be a good life. Find out more about Solas Coaching here - https://www.solascoaching.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.